Federation rebuffed
Labor code given all party support
Having organized two lobbies to Victoria and submitted the amendments it would like made to the government's controversial labor code, the B.C. Federation of Labor appears confident that experience will justify its stand, underlined by the fact that all four parties in the legislature gave the legislation support in principle by unanimous assent to second reading.
As federation secretary Ray Haynes forecast October 9 in Victoria when trade unionists conducted their second lobby there in as many weeks, the government seems determined to push the legislation through reagardless of labor's protests against some key sections.
"There might be some amendments of a minor and technical nature," cautioned Haynes after he and federation executives emerged from a session with a committee of cabinet.
Lobbyist after lobbyist rose to his feet and reported almost fruitless meetings with MLAs, though there were one or two rays of hope. They noted the well-rehearsed answers they were given. "The board will be good to you," they were told in effect.
Compulsory arbitration — so odious to labor — may be employed under the new legislation to settle first contracts. "But this is good," argued the MLAs. "It will force a good contract on a miserable employer."
So the loybbists, not least the fishermen, who felt they were left out in the cold once again, came home for the most part disappointed.
The list of proposed amendments submitted by the federation to the government October 15 embraces all the objections labor has expressed to the legislation as it now stands.
Fears have been expressed over the power of the new Labor Relations Board. Two-year terms of office for the chairman, vice-chairman and board members are proposed by the federation.
Councils of trade unions should be formed only when the unions have agreed to the formation, it states. Compulsory arbitration must not be allowed at all, and picketing must be permitted to communicate information or express support.
Outright deletion of the section providing for opting-out of union membership on religious grounds is urged. This labor feels is a
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veiled threat to the principle of union shop and was the takeoff point for labor's opposition to other sections of BUI 11.
The federation's proposed amendments take nine pages. The foregoing are an important few.
But the government has forged ahead. And why not? There has been no obstacle in the legislature. Lobbyists who sat in the legislature's public gallery October 9 heard Liberal leader Pat McGeer say he found nothing wrong in Bill 11 and intended to support it. This has been the phenomenal thing — the deference opposition MLAs have shown toward the legislation.
Approval in principle has passed. Clause by clause reading of the bill started October 17, according to the federation's assistant secretary-treasurer, Clive Lytle.
Lytle said the reading continued October 18 and was expected to continue several days. "A number of clauses have been dealt with in the house but as of last report none have been changed significantly, and it doesn't appear that any will be," he told The Fisherman October 18.
He said the federation's position will be to continue to press for amendments.
But according to UFAWU president Homer Stevens, organization of a mass lobby to Victoria of all trade unionists is the only way labor can bring the changes it needs. "And this," Stevens warned, "will have to be done very quickly."
He said he had made this point "very clear" to the federation — "though at this moment it has been indicated that the federation will rely on other steps, which of course will be too late."
Stevens is also concerned about the apparent "keeping under wraps" of the federation's submission to the government earlier this year on the subject of a new labor code.
He said in a letter to Haynes he had this impression when he talked to MLAs during the September 25 lobby. "In an event, the very fact that the brief has been more or less kept under wraps, in my opinion, leaves the members in a position of not really understanding what it is that labor wants.
"Also, I find that many trade unionists who have not seen the brief are unable to really put the same kind of argumentation forward that is necessary," he wrote.
"It seems to me that in looking at the other side of the ledger, the employers have made no bones about the kind of submissions they have been making and that it would be advantageous all the way around for the labor movement to express itself quite openly on this matter at this time."
Nimpkish fish kill reported
CAMPBELL RIVER — A parasitic fungus has killed large numbers of salmon heading into the Nimpkish River system.
Fisheries department biologists say 15,000 to 20,000 fish from a total run of up to 90,000 have died unspawned. The fungus, dermocystidium, probably flourished because of a low water flow, high density of fish and higher than normal temperatures, it is surmised.
• Unionists, including UFAWU Vancouver Island organizer Bert Ogden (left), shown in top picture questioning Delta MLA Carl Liden (right) during October 5 labor lobby to Victoria reported they found him evasive. Other UFAWU delegates seen in bottom picture are (left to right) Cliff Gissing, Victoria; George Smith, Deep Bay; Fraser River organizer Bill Procopation; Walter Tickson, Nana i mo; Jack Higgin, Campbell River; Vancouver waterfront organizer John Radosevic Jr.
Ste ves optimistic
Fisheries dep't likely
New Democratic MLA Harold Steves (Richmond) is optimistic that a provincial fisheries department eventually will be established, as the NDP pledged in its 1972 election platform.
A joint department — shared with agriculture or forestry — is most likely, he believes. He told The Fisherman last week he would like to see a "full-fledged" fisheries department, but a joint department "would be satisfactory — certainly better than what we've got now."
Although Steves says he has raised the matter a number of times, there has been no response from Premier Dave Barrett "one way or the other." Nevertheless, many MLAs support the idea. "There is quite a strong feeling among the backbenchers and party members, particularly those living in coastal fishing communities," Steves reports.
"Unless we do something to wrest control from the food monopolies we won't be able to do anything to control food prices."
Steves informed The Fisherman he would make this statement in the legislature during the debate on Bill 48, the enabling legislation to establish a consumer affairs branch of the government.  The bill was to
receive second reading October 11.
He said he would request that proposals he made for a crown corporation to process salmon in new or taken-over facilities and for an inquiry into the financial structure of fishing companies and all wholesale and retail food chains in B.C. be turned over to the new consumer affairs branch.
Phyllis Young, who will head the new department, reportedly is quite interested in Steves' proposals, as are "one or two other cabinet members," but hasn't yet committed herself.
Steves confessed he isn't "overly optimistic" about getting legislative action soon on the proposals. He thought probably only
a responsive fisheries department is up to the task. "Consumer affairs can only go so far in dealing with such proposals . . . but I really hope they will be looked at very carefully — I think they're the only solution."
Steves made the proposals in the course of a major speech to the legislature September 21. He pointed to the fishing industry to show how the food industry is "basically one interconnecting conglomerate, from the primary source to the wholesale to the retail outlet."
Through the crown corporation he was advocating, local industry could be restored to coastal fishing communities hit hard by cannery closures, Steves said.
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— OCTOBER 12, 1973